


Kitchen Nightmares

by SaraJaye



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Banter, Cooking Lessons, Friendship, Gen, Stern Katara, Team Bonding, Zuko Can't Cook
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-04
Updated: 2015-03-04
Packaged: 2018-03-16 09:20:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3482870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katara is determined to integrate Zuko into the group the right way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kitchen Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

  * For [telophase](https://archiveofourown.org/users/telophase/gifts).



"You seriously never learned how to cook? Even during your exile?"

"The ship's cook always handled everything," he said. "And after we lost everything we'd beg for money on the streets and buy whatever we could afford." Katara shook her head and smiled.

"I thought so. Well, now that you're part of the group and everyone here accepts you, we need to teach you how to help out with _all_ the chores," she said. Zuko groaned, burying his head in his hand.

"I already light the fire and help pitch the tents! I help gather feed for Appa! Why do I have to learn to cook?"

"Because this is what being in a group means. Now put on an apron and meet me in the kitchen." He looked about to protest, but only sighed and followed her. At least he'd finally see what the kitchens in the old vacation house looked like after years of being waited on by servants.

She wasted no time in assembling ingredients, so fast that he nearly got whiplash watching her. Something about her was scarily reminiscent of Azula, only less dangerous...that sharp, focused face, that smug grin, knowing she wouldn't stop until he was at least half the chef she was.

"Okay, first? Turn on the stove. This recipe is one you have to throw into the heat right away," she said. Okay, easy enough. He shot a weak blast of fire at the burner the pan sat on.

"Now what?"

"Next, chop the leeks- _no,_ not like that, you'll tear them!"

"Katara, this knife has rough edges!"

"Look, just watch me." And it went on like that for...who knew, really? An hour? Two hours? At one point she had to put out the fire to keep the stew from burning and of course, they had to cook the meat in a separate pot so Aang wouldn't have to eat it and Sokka could add as much as he wanted to his bowl.

_I can't believe she does this every night!_ So far he'd cut his finger, dropped a potato on the floor, nearly burned the onions and spilled enough pepper on the floor to fill another cannister.

And she expected him to do this at least once a week?

Somehow, they ended up with edible stew. A bit overcooked and spicy, but edible. If anyone noticed anything different about it they didn't say a thing.

Zuko hoped they'd be this agreeable every night.


End file.
